Jokowi Sentil The Minister Of Home Affairs On The Implementation Of Health Protocols To Prevent Pilkada Clusters

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo asked the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian to ensure that the 2020 regional head elections (Pilkada) were carried out by implementing health protocols. Because the regional elections were held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I ask the Minister of Home Affairs for matters relating to the pilkada cluster to be given proper confirmation," said Jokowi when he opened the Plenary Cabinet Session regarding health management and economic recovery for strengthening reform in 2021 which was broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, September 7.

In addition to the Minister of Home Affairs, Jokowi also asked law enforcement officials, including the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), to be firm in implementing health protocols to prevent the new COVID-19 transmission cluster, namely the Pilkada cluster.

"The National Police also provides confirmation regarding this, the rules of the game in the Pilkada because it is clear in PKPU that it is very clear. So the firmness of the Minister of Home Affairs with Bawaslu will give a stern warning," said Jokowi.

Previously, Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian had requested that regional head candidates not create crowds or cause crowds at the 2020 Concurrent Regional Head Elections, especially during the candidate registration period.

"The pair of candidates should not invite a large crowd of supporters, not create a crowd or procession of the masses. It is sufficient for the candidate pair to be accompanied by a small team to prepare registration administrative documents," said Tito in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Thursday, September 3.

According to Tito, the pair of regional head candidates who want to publish their activities using the media or virtually.

"The registration period for prospective regional heads on September 4-6 2020 is at 24.00 WIB, I remind the regional head candidates in 270 regions to comply with the COVID-19 health protocol," said Tito.

However, this appeal did not appear to be heeded by regional head candidates. This is because a member of the Indonesian Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Fritz Edward Siregar stated that there were 141 candidate pairs suspected of violating the COVID-19 prevention protocol when registering as a regional head candidate to the respective regional KPU.

That means, almost half of the 315 pairs of candidates who participated in the 2020 Simultaneous Pilkada were suspected of violating health protocols in the form of processions and crowds.

"The 141 chaplones are suspected of violating the KPU regulations which strictly prohibit convoys and processions in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Fritz, quoted from the official website of Bawaslu, Sunday, September 6.

37 prospective regional heads are positive for COVID-19.

Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Arief Budiman said this information was known from the submission of the PCR swab test results of each candidate which became one of the registration requirements.

"There were 37 candidates who tested positive based on the swab test. Not candidate pairs, yes. We collected this data from 21 provinces," said Arief at the KPU RI Office, Central Jakarta, Monday, September 7.

Meanwhile, the number of chameleons that were accepted for registration until Sunday at 24.00 was 687 chaplones.

In detail, there are 22 bapaslon for governors and deputy governors, 570 regents and vice regents, and 95 mayors and deputy mayors. The Bapaslon registered in 270 regions that held the 2020 Pilkada.

Then, the number of candidate pairs proposed by political parties or coalitions of political parties was 626.Meanwhile, the number of candidate pairs of candidates who went through the individual route was 61.

"For prospective pairs of candidates whose registration cannot be accepted, we urge them to maintain the condition of the situation and then follow the provisions of the applicable laws and regulations," said Arief.

Furthermore, Arief said that his party had reopened the 2020 Pilkada registration period for 3 days in 28 regions. This is because the 28 regions only have one candidate pair.

"For areas where there is 1 bapaslon, the KPU will re-register or re-register. So, no one may re-register, it can also change. Finally, we will wait until the candidate pairs are determined," he said.

For information, the KPU requires regional head candidate pairs (cakada) in the 2020 Pilkada to carry out a COVID-19 swab test and show a negative result before undergoing a medical test as a regional election candidate.

If the cakada has been declared free of COVID-19 then they can undergo a health check. Meanwhile, if the cakada is tested positive for COVID-19, the health examination will be postponed.

"If the candidate is indicated as positive, then the medical examination will be postponed until the person concerned has finished undergoing treatment or self-quarantine," said KPU Commissioner Hasyim Asyari.

As a consequence, if the process of postponing the health examination for the head of district head (cakada), then there is a potential for the appointment schedule as a candidate and the serial number drawing will also be postponed. That way, the opportunity to campaign is also reduced.

"For example, a candidate pair has been scheduled for September 23, for a candidate who is positive for COVID, then if the medical examination is postponed, there is a potential consequence for the appointment of the candidate to be postponed. Likewise, the drawing of the serial number will also be postponed," said Hasyim.